Men’s swimming and diving program joins Western Athletic Conference

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Western Athletic Conference announced today that it will add the sport of men’s swimming and diving beginning with the 2013-14 season and that North Dakota will join the league as an affiliate member. UND’s men’s swimming and diving program will join UND’s women’s program in the WAC after competing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) for the past two seasons.

Next year’s WAC membership will include three full-time members that sponsor men’s swimming and diving: CSU Bakersfield, Grand Canyon and Seattle. Joining these schools will be affiliate members Air Force, UNLV, North Dakota and Wyoming, giving the WAC seven teams in 2013-14. North Dakota is already a women’s swimming and diving affiliate member and will also be an affiliate member in baseball in 2013-14.

“It's great to now have both our men's and women's swimming and diving programs in the same conference,” said Athletics Director Brian Faison. “The WAC is a very competitive swimming and diving conference and we look forward to that competition.”

This will be the second time that the WAC has sponsored men’s swimming and diving as the sport was part of the conference from its inaugural 1962-63 season through 1999-2000. Three of the programs joining the WAC this upcoming year competed previously in the conference. Wyoming was an original member during all but one of those years while Air Force was added in 1980 and UNLV joined in 1996.

“We are excited about the reinstatement of men’s swimming and diving to the Western Athletic Conference,” said Jeff Hurd, WAC Interim Commissioner. “We look forward to one of our original sports returning to the WAC and watching these teams work toward winning a conference championship.”

The 2014 WAC Championship meet will be held Feb. 26 through March 1 at the Palo Alto College Aquatic Center in San Antonio, Texas, and will be combined with the women’s programs.